


Facets

by ncfan



Series: The House of Finwë in the Years of the Trees [7]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Childhood, Gen, Learning One's Craft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-20
Updated: 2014-01-20
Packaged: 2018-01-09 10:12:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1144748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ncfan/pseuds/ncfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Nerdanel gazes at the lump of copper, she sees shapes emerge from its depths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Facets

She sees shapes in blocks of clay, in blocks of stone, in lumps of copper brought up from the mines. Mahtan is thrilled when Nerdanel shows inclinations closer to his craft than Istamë's passion for painting. Nerdanel learns all she can from him. Her hands become clever, her arms full of strength. She works with clay and stone when she has a specific vision; she works with copper when she wants a challenge.

But it starts with this.

Nerdanel is very young, but her father lets her into his workshop, provided that she never go inside unless he or one of his senior apprentices is there. Mahtan is at the other end of the large room, speaking with a client. Nerdanel sits at a table, staring at a lump of copper left idle by Náhië while she sweeps the floor, humming absently.

The copper is dull orange and lumpen; Náhië isn't sure just what she's going to do with it, not yet, so the copper is due to be put away in storage while she works on her current projects. Nerdanel reaches out and puts a small hand on the lump, her dark eyes shining with curiosity.

It is cool, the copper, cool to the touch, not like the things Mahtan has made that sometimes burn her hands when she touches them. It is cool to the touch, and yet, when Nerdanel touches that lump of copper, she feels as though a jolt of energy has moved up her arm.

She stares at the copper, mouth slightly open. As Nerdanel gazes on it, she starts to see shapes emerge in its depths. A galloping horse. A tree with twisted branches. A frog caught in mid-leap. She also sees the circular shapes of necklaces and bracelets, the shapes of tools such as eating utensils or tongs. Last of all, Nerdanel is startled to see the face of a Quendë emerge from the lumpen depths of the copper, eyes dancing and lips quirked in a smile.

She could make all of this, any of this, if she wants to.

When it later becomes clear that Náhië has no intention of actually using the copper for anything, Nerdanel asks and is granted permission by Náhië and a bemused Mahtan to make use of it herself.

Nerdanel tries to find the shapes she saw in the copper. She settles on the horse, and tries to fashion it. Her father has given her some training in how to fashion copper; Nerdanel feels confident that she can do it.

The young girl labors long and hard over her creation, forsaking the outside world for what feels like an eternity. Nerdanel sits in the still silence of her father's workshop as he and his apprentices do their own work nearby. She sits in the still silence, feeling neither the wind on her face nor the rain on her skin.

The results aren't exactly pleasing.

Nerdanel scowls at her creation. It only bears the slightest of resemblances to the horse it was in her head. The two back legs seem to be merely one, and the head does not even look even remotely like that of a horse. To be honest, the copper sculpture looks more like the representation of a deformed dog than it does a horse.

"It's not gone well, I take it?" Mahtan puts his hand on her shoulder, and smiles kindly down at his daughter. "Do you want me to teach you more about working with copper?"

Nerdanel grins, and nods.


End file.
